Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011 has been a great one so far. We've started many new traditions this year as we work into life as a family of 4. Making new traditions has meant giving up or tweaking some old family traditions on both sides of the family, but everyone has been pretty understanding. 

New Traditions: 

1) Getting a real tree as a family. Hunting it down on a tree farm, cutting it down, and hauling it to the truck.

2) Christmas Eve service at Orchard Hill. We had our pick from the 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, or 11pm services. We chose the 3pm service and to sleep in our own beds. This meant not attending the Petersen Christmas or the Grace Lutheran candlelight service, but it was a great night and Jonah was SO good in church. He was all dressed up and woke up from a nap to attend. We had great music, great video, candles and Silent Night. It wasn't in German, but it was still very nice. 

3) Santa comes to our house Christmas Eve before going to other families houses. This helps us fit in with the rest of our family Christmas gatherings. It worked really well for Jonah's age to go to the 3pm, an hr drive home and it was dark when we got there. He was plenty ready for Santa to arrive and jumped right into opening presents as soon as we got home. He had plenty of time to play, eat, and play some more before going to bed. As you can see in the pictures, the new horse was his favorite of all the gifts from Santa or mom and dad. 

4) Christmas Day now means travel back north for both sides the next two days instead of bouncing back and forth throughout the 3 days. One less night away from home and more time with family when we are there. We'll go to the Meyer side for Christmas Day- Gma and Gpa's for lunch and Great Gma's for supper. Then we'll go to Gma & Gpa Petersen's to sleep and get up to open presents there too. Great Gma & Gpa Oberheu's on Monday as well then HOME!. 

Christmas 2011 Favorite Moments so far: 

Mommy: 

- Making goodies for the family get togethers with Jonah and Joshua.

- Jonah doing such a great job in church. 

- Jonah reaching for our hands when Pastor Dave said "Let us pray." (2x)

- Jonah's excitement over the candles and music at church tonight. 

- Jonah's look of GLEE when we took him the the "new horse" present. 

Daddy: 

- Seeing Jonah light up when he saw the horse. 

- Finding a present from Mr. Wallace on our front step for mowing his lawn this year. 

Jonah: 

- Realizing that Santa had been there and he had presents to open. 

- Seeing his new horse and playing with it. 

I'll try to post more after the days events. :-D